Queen Victoria Market stalwart marks 50 years

A family-run Queen Victoria Market business is celebrating 50 years of trading, with a third generation now taking the reins.

Allanson Souvenirs, located at the corner of L Shed and Queen St, has been a familiar market presence since 1976, offering a wide range of Australian-made souvenirs and gifts including clothing, soft toys, art, bags, homewares, skincare products and more.

This year marks both the business’s 50th anniversary and a significant family milestone, with Hayden McLennan taking over from his mother, Drita McLennan.

The change means Allanson Souvenirs has now operated under three generations of the McLennan family.

The business was founded by Hayden’s grandfather, Michael Besim, who began trading in 1976. While the family operated stalls at other markets in the early years, Hayden said Queen Victoria Market had always been the place that worked best for them.

Drita joined the business in 1981 after leaving school at 15 and took over the Queen Victoria Market stall in September 1988. She has now run the stall for 37 years.

Hayden joined the business shortly after finishing high school and, according to Drita, has been “instrumental” in its development, both in-store and online.

While Allanson Souvenirs is a popular destination for tourists, it also attracts many locals looking for gifts to send to family and friends overseas.

Hayden said Melbourne’s multicultural character meant many customers were proud to share Australian products with loved ones around the world.

Because Melbourne is “such a multicultural city”, he said people are often “quite patriotic” when choosing gifts.

According to Hayden, Allanson Souvenirs offers one of the “largest ranges of Australian-made souvenirs”, including clothing, boomerangs, skincare products, genuine kangaroo products, Aboriginal art and other locally themed items.

The business has also expanded beyond the market through its online store, which ships worldwide. Many of the products available at the market can also be purchased online, alongside some web-exclusive items including selected shirts.

Hayden said he was excited to take over the business and continue building on the family’s legacy.

He said he was looking forward to helping Allanson Souvenirs “grow and expand into the future” and particularly enjoyed working with people who brought different knowledge and skills to the business.

Drita said her parents had built the business with the hope of creating “something lasting for our family”.

She said she and Stephen were delighted that Allanson Souvenirs would continue with Hayden, while she was also looking forward to stepping back and spending more time with family and friends.

After 50 years at the market, Allanson Souvenirs remains focused on providing quality Australian products and gifts to locals, tourists and customers around the world.

Allanson Souvenirs can be found at Queen St, L Shed, stalls 108 to 112 at Queen Victoria Market. It is open from 8am to 3pm on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, and from 8am to 4pm on weekends. •